I'm staying at my cousin's house and all is quiet. The kids are in school, my cousin is at work, and I have some time to myself to quietly enjoy coffee and connect to SP.
I arrived in Ohio on Saturday afternoon. The flight was uneventful, j... Read more

Okay, where to start:
Got a call this week that my 98-year old grandmother might or might not be on death's door. Could be an hour, could be a month, but it doesn't look good. I've got a flight to Ohio (one that I could afford) scheduled fo... Read more

...cold days in the fall
...the coffee my husband makes for me every day
...being a teacher
...the way my kids get along and laugh together
...the sounds my dog makes when she's dreaming
...leaves turning bright yellow, ... Read more

It's Tuesday in Southern California (okay, anywhere it isn't already Wednesday...) and the weather is my favorite right now - overcast and cool. I hope it rains some more because I love the way the world smells after a good, clean rain. I love t... Read more

Great line from a Lionel Richie song...
It's been awhile since I've blogged so I just wanted to give a few updates:
1) I broke my plateau a couple of weeks ago and am now down below 152. It feels great. I've increased my strength train... Read more

It is amazing how different you feel when you eat something you've basically removed from your diet. Today was an awards celebration at the school where I teach. They gave our students, both past and present, about $50,000 worth of scholarships ... Read more

So, my husband and I have already had a run-in with his mother over Thanksgiving. She refuses to give up any of "her" holidays to let us begin traditions of our own, even when they totally include her. Since Kev's brother-in-law, his wife, and t... Read more

Cheesecake Factory is one of my favorite restaurants. Have you ever had the Pasta da Vinci? OMG: Penne pasta with marsala sauce, grilled chicken, mushrooms, and carmelized onions. The whole plate is about 1400 calories, which seems to be about a... Read more

I'm a little (no, a lot) frustrated tonight. Not with food. Not with exercise. Not even with my family. I'm frustrated with a friend.
Now, before you start commenting that I need to talk to her, I already know this. I also know that I'm a r... Read more

I'm just blogging tonight after doing a 20-minute upper body workout to remind myself that the cardio is fabulous, but to really get myself toned (and knock out those darn bye-bye arms) I've got to add more lean muscle through strength training.... Read more

Yup. Not a bit of doubt in my mind that changing how I exercise and what routines or activities I do makes it really easy to stay motivated to keep my body moving.
This week I've done the following:
Tae Bo - with weighted bands, the am... Read more

I just spent about 50 minutes having the time of my life exercising!
My neighborhood clubhouse offers free fitness classes each week. Tonight was the first I found out about the Zumba offered Tuesday nights and Friday mornings. I can't go ... Read more

I have been busting my emotional butt for the last two or three weeks as my weight has fluctuated between 156 and 154. I blogged and posted and updated my status about trusting the measurements, which were moving in an incredibly positive direct... Read more

It was just after dinner. The kids hadn't eaten all of their fruit, I had to clean up, Annie was emptying the dishwasher, and they still had to read before bed for homework. There was still a TON to do before the day could end.
Annie was gr... Read more

So, I haven't blogged in awhile, but things are still going well.
I've gotten back into full-time teaching again and the boys are responding. I don't let them get away with the packet work that everyone else hands out around here, and I bel... Read more